Half of workers unhappy in their jobs

After being squeezed by bosses looking to maximize productivity, half of U.S. employees are actively eyeing the exits or have a less than favorable opinion of their employers, according to a report Monday from Mercer, an outplacement and consulting firm.

Mercer surveyed 2,400 workers in the United States and hundreds more in other countries over the past six months.

Its report said that nearly one in three American workers is seriously considering leaving his or her job, up from 23% six years ago.

In addition, 21% said they have a negative view of their employer and have largely checked out of their job, even if they aren't looking for another one, according to the survey.

This level of dissatisfaction among workers is a red flag for employers, who could face higher retention costs and decreased productivity from a burned out workforce, according to Mindy Fox, a senior partner at Mercer.

"The business consequences of this erosion in employee sentiment are significant," she said.

Of course, many unhappy workers don't have a lot of options right now.

While employers have been adding to payrolls this year, the pace of hiring has slowed significantly in recent months as the economic outlook has darkened. The economy gained a mere 54,000 jobs in May, a significant slowdown from 232,000 jobs added to payrolls in April, according to government statistics.

The survey suggests that the combination of extra work and stagnant wage growth have taken a toll on employee morale.

More than half of those surveyed were dissatisfied with their base pay, which Mercer says is the most important element of an employment arrangement. The survey also showed low scores for career development and performance management.